Method for generating roof outlines from lateral images

Abstract

A computer system generates an outline of a roof of a structure based on a set of lateral images depicting the structure. For each image in the set of lateral images, one or more rooflines corresponding to the roof of the structure are determined. The computer system determines how the rooflines connect to one another. Based on the determination, the rooflines are connected to generate an outline of the roof.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving a set of lateral photos of a structure, wherein the set of lateral photos comprises a first photo and a second photo and wherein none of the set of lateral photos depict a whole roof of the structure; 
 determining a set of rooflines depicted in the set of lateral photos, wherein the set of rooflines comprises a first roofline determined from the first photo, and a second roofline determined from the second photo; 
 wherein determining the set of rooflines includes determining, for at least one photo of the set of lateral photos, one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure; 
 determining how rooflines in the set of rooflines connect with each other, wherein determining how rooflines in the set of rooflines connect with each other comprises determining how the first roofline in the first photo connects with the second roofline in the second photo; and 
 based on how rooflines in the set of rooflines connect with each other, generating an image of a closed polygon that has a shape that estimates the shape the whole roof would have if depicted in a top-down view of the structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining how rooflines connect with each other comprises determining, for a pair of photos of the set of lateral photos, a relative distance corresponding to the pair of photos. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining how rooflines connect with each other comprises determining, for a pair of photos of the set of lateral photos, a relative rotation corresponding to the pair of photos. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining how rooflines connect with each other is based in part on sensor data associated with at least one photo of the set of lateral photos. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sensor data includes one or more of: azimuth, gravity vector, linear velocity, angular velocity, GPS location, rotation vector, tilt angle, and object distance. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the set of rooflines comprises determining, for at least one photo of the set of lateral photos, a set of intersection points. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure is based on a roof depicted in the photo. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure is based on a wall depicted in the photo. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure comprises, for at least one photo in the set of lateral photos:
 determining a first line based on a roof depicted in the photo; 
 determining a second line based on a wall depicted in the photo; and 
 combining the first line and the second line. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure comprises, for at least one photo in the set of lateral photos, determining the one or more lines based on one or more building elements depicted in the photo. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the set of lateral photos include a first particular photo captured at a first angle and a first height and a second particular photo captured at a second angle and a second height, wherein a portion of the roof depicted in the first particular photo is obscured, wherein the same portion of the roof is depicted in the second particular photo and is not obscured, and wherein determining the set of rooflines comprises:
 determining a first line based on the first particular photo; 
 determining a second line corresponding to the obscured portion of the roof based on the second particular photo; and 
 combining the first line and the second line. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising scaling each roofline in the set of rooflines. 
     
     
       13. One or more non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to execute operations comprising:
 receiving a set of lateral photos of a structure, wherein the set of lateral photos comprises a first photo and a second photo and wherein none of the set of lateral photos depict a whole roof of the structure; 
 determining a set of rooflines depicted in the set of lateral photos, wherein the set of rooflines comprises a first roofline determined from the first photo, and a second roofline determined from the second photo; 
 wherein determining the set of rooflines includes determining, for at least one photo of the set of lateral photos, one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure; 
 determining how rooflines in the set of rooflines connect with each other wherein determining how rooflines in the set of rooflines connect with each other comprises determining how the first roofline in the first photo connects with the second roofline in the second photo; and 
 based on how rooflines in the set of rooflines connect with each other, generating an image of a closed polygon that has a shape that estimates the shape the whole roof would have if depicted in a top-down view of the structure. 
 
     
     
       14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining how rooflines connect with each other comprises determining, for a pair of photos of the set of lateral photos, a relative distance corresponding to the pair of photos. 
     
     
       15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining how rooflines connect with each other comprises determining, for a pair of photos of the set of lateral photos, a relative rotation corresponding to the pair of photos. 
     
     
       16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining how rooflines connect with each other is based in part on sensor data associated with at least one photo of the set of lateral photos. 
     
     
       17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor data includes one or more of: azimuth, gravity vector, linear velocity, angular velocity, GPS location, rotation vector, tilt angle, and object distance. 
     
     
       18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining the set of rooflines comprises determining, for at least one photo of the set of lateral photos, a set of intersection points. 
     
     
       19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure is based on a roof depicted in the photo. 
     
     
       20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure is based on a wall depicted in the photo. 
     
     
       21. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure comprises, for at least one photo in the set of lateral photos:
 determining a first line based on a roof depicted in the photo; 
 determining a second line based on a wall depicted in the photo; and 
 combining the first line and the second line. 
 
     
     
       22. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining the one or more lines that are parallel to the roof of the structure comprises, for at least one photo in the set of lateral photos, determining the one or more lines based on one or more building elements depicted in the photo. 
     
     
       23. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the set of lateral photos include a first particular photo captured at a first angle and a first height and a second particular photo captured at a second angle and a second height, wherein a portion of the roof depicted in the first particular photo is obscured, wherein the same portion of the roof is depicted in the second particular photo and is not obscured, and wherein determining the set of rooflines comprises:
 determining a first line based on the first particular photo; 
 determining a second line corresponding to the obscured portion of the roof based on the second particular photo; and 
 combining the first line and the second line. 
 
     
     
       24. The one or more non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , further storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to execute operations comprising scaling each roofline in the set of rooflines.